Encouraging educational success

Chad Susan, Apache & Din4, and several other members of the Apache Club at SIPI
help out at the Apache Club’s food store during the graduation powwow.

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Two years ago, Kris Kinlicheenie, Diné from Shiprock, didn’t have
any idea she would be on a path leading to graduate school.

After securing her associate degree at the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic
Institute recently, Kinlicheenie received a full scholarship to the University
of New Mexico where she plans to study pharmacy.

“I am very fortunate and thankful to the Great Spirit and the positive energy
among our cultures,” said Kinlicheenie.

To pass this energy along, Kinlicheenie attended the Intertribal Graduation
Powwow held at SIPI last Saturday where she encouraged other students to reach
for the stars when it comes to educational attainment.

“I want to see a lot of Native American students graduate, prosper and have
that determination to continue on – not just a two-year college, but to go on at
the university level to reach their master’s and PhDs."

The Intertribal Graduation Powwow honored all 2014 American Indian and Alaska
Native graduates from Head Start to high school to college programs, noted Amber
Carrillo, one of the organizers for the event, who said it was the first of its
kind.